Collapsible wire basket



G. EINHORN COLLAPSIBLE WIRE BASKET Oct. 10, 1950 Filed May 19, 1947 INVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 16 620K615 f/NHOKN.

BY v

ATTORNEX Oct. 10, 1950 s. EINHORN COLLAPSIBLE WIRE BASKET Filed ma 19,1947

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GEORGE E/NHORN.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'COLLAPSIBLE WIRE BASKET George Einhorn, Forest Hills, N. Y.; Fannie Ein-. horn administratrix of said George Einhorn,

deceased Application May 19, 1917, Serial No. 748,868

A primary object of the invention is to provide a container which may be collapsed or folded easily and readily into a compact unit to conserve space and which may also be readily set up into operative condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible container which, after hav ing been set up in operative condition, will effectively carry considerable loads while being firmly maintained in operative condition, the container bein designed and constructed in such a manner as to eliminate any possibility of accidental collapse.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible container of the character indicated, which maybe fabricated easily and inexpensively and which simultaneously embodies the qualities of simplicity, strength, durability.

Considered briefly and generally, the improved collapsible container of the invention comprises a pair of rigid side walls, a rigid bottom pivotally secured to one of the side Walls and a pair of inwardly collapsible end walls, each end wall bein pivotally secured at each extremity thereof to a respective side wall. rendered inwardly collapsible by being composed of two sections of substantially equal shape and size, the sections being pivotally interconnected at their adjacent portions and being pivotally connected at their outer portions to a respective side wall, as has been previouslydndicated. In order to conserve weight and material, the walls of the container may be constructed of periph eral frames of wires or rods and all thepivotal connections may be made by' forming terminal loops integral with the wire frame of one wall member, the loops being rotatably .engageable about a portion of the wire frame of 'a'respective wall member with which the first-mentioned wall member is to be pivotally interconnected. The walls may be braced by providing spaced wires or struts suitably secured to the peripheral wire frames, as by spot welding. The bottom or the container may be of the .Same braced peripheral wire frame construction or, alternately, may be of solid construction, such as sheet metal. In any event, theibottom is upwardly pivotable against one of the side walls of thecontainer, preferably being pivotally secured a sufficient distance above the lower frame portion thereof to allow free rotation ofthe lower loop of each The end walls are end wall section in the operation of collapsing the container after the bottom has been swung upwardly into abutment against the side wall.

Another feature of .the invention resides in the provision of a. handle element extending above one of the end-wall sections of each end Wall and having a portion depending below the level of the top of the corresponding end wall section, thereby to limit the outward motion of the pivotally interconnected pair of end-wall sections to the point where said sections lie in substantially the same plane to form each of the end walls in the operative, unfolded condition of the container.

The features and advantages of the invention will be readily understood in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible container embodying the features of the invention,

the container being shown in open or operative condition.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the container in collapsed or folded condition with the pivoted bottom swung upwardly against one of the sides and with the pivoted ends folded inwardly between the pair of sides.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the container in partially collapsed condition, the free end of the bottom being shown having a pair of depending extensions or catches.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially alon line 4--4 of Fig. 1. In this figure, the direction of pivotal upward movement of the bottom of the container is indicated by an arrow and an intermediate position of the bottom is indicated in dot-dash outline.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of that section of one of the end walls having a handle element associated therewith.

Fig, 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the lower portion of the container illustrated in Fig. 4, illustrating a preferred manner of pivotally mounting the bottom of the container adjacent one of the sides thereof and further showing one of the downwardly turned extensions or catches formed at the free end of the illustrated in the drawings, the walls of the container are constructed with peripheral frames which may be made of wires or 'rods of metal, synthetic plastic or any other suitable material.

Each of the side walls S of the container It preferably comprises a unitary rectangular frame having upper and lower horizontal rods I II I and substantially vertical side rods I2. Each of said side walls may be braced by spaced rods or struts I3 extending generally parallel to side rods I2 and suitably secured at their extremities to upper rod II and loWer rod II' in any preferred manner, as by spot welding or by being tightly looped therearound.

Each of the end walls E is formed of two sections I la and I 4b pivotally interconnected centrally of said end wall, the outer extremities of sections Ma and Mo being pivotally secured to a respective vertical side rod I2 of each side wall S.

Each end section Ma comprises horizontal upper and lower arms I5 and I6 and an intermediate vertical arm I! preferably integral therewith. Each end section I4b comprises upper and lower horizontal arms I5a and I6a interconnected by a vertical rod or strut I8. End sections Nb and I 4a may be easily pivotally interconnected by forming loops I5b and I6b integrally with upper and lower arms I51; and I6a, respectively, at the inner ends thereof, said loops being rotatably engaged around vertical arm ll of end section Mb. The end wall E defined by pivotally interconnected sections Ma and Mb may then be associated pivotally at each outer end with a respective side wall S in a similar manner. Specifically, integral loops I50 and IE are formed at the outer ends of upper and lower arms Ia and I6a of end section Mb and said loops are rotatably engaged about a vertical side rod I2 of One of the side walls S. Also, integral loops I5d and E612 are formed at the outer ends of upper and lower arms I5 and I6 of end section Ma and said loops are rotatably engaged about side rod I2 of the other side wall S.

From the construction just described, it is apparent that end walls E comprise two sections pivotally interconnected centrally and pivotally secured at their outer ends with a respective side wall S with the overall result that each end wall E may be collapsed inwardly about centrally disposed upper and lower loops or hinges I57) and IBZ) to be compactly folded between the side walls S.

An arrangement is provided for limiting the outward movement of pivotally interconnected sections Ma and I4?) in setting up the collapsed container in its operative condition. This arrangement is preferably designed to serve additionally as a handle means for carrying the container, as will now be described.

, The end section I la of each end wall E may be braced by a vertical rod or strut I9 having a preferably rectangular upper extension 26 terminating in a lateral horizontal arm or abutment 2| secured to vertical arm [1 below upper horizontal arm I5. Thus when end sections Ida and [4b are moved outwardly to set up the container, such outward movement will be limited by the abutment of horizontal arm 2I of end-wall section Ida against end-wall section I4b to form a substantially planar end wall E, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l. Rectangular extensions 20 may be conveniently used as handles for carrying the container and may be provided with roller grips 22.

The collapsible container is provided with a bottom B swingable upwardly against one of the side walls S. In the preferred embodiment bottom B is provided with a rectangular frame having a pair of side rods 25 and a pair of end rods 26 reinforced by a series of spaced transverse struts 21 and spaced longitudinal struts 2B. The struts 21 and 28 may be secured to the rectangular frame and also at their points of intersection in any suitable manner, as by spot welding. In order to prevent the frame of bottom B from interfering with the free rotation of each pair of lower loops or hinges I60, I6d, on the vertical side rods I2, "said bottom is preferably pivotally mounted not directly on the lower horizontal rod I I of the side wall S but on a level spaced above said horizontal rod to clear said lower loops or hinges. For this purpose, a pair of mounting rods 29 and 29a is secured on the inside of each side wall S spaced above the lower horizontal rod II' thereof. Cne side 26 of bottom B is pivotally secured along one of the mounting rods 29 in any suitable manner, as by means of hinge hooks 30 secured to and extending upwardly from lower horizontal rod I I to be engaged about side 26 of bottom B. The other mounting rod 29a serves to support the opposite free side of the bottom B in the operative condition of the basket, when the bottom has been swung downwardly about mounting rod 29 and into horizontal position.

In order to firmly fix bottom B in horizontal position when the container is in use, the free end of said bottom is formed with one or more depending catches or extensions 3I adapted to overhang mounting rod 29a. Extensions or catches 3| may conveniently be formed integrally with an adjacent pair of spaced transverse struts 21 as a unitary structure, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Upon being collapsed, the container will assume the condition illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the bottom B is swung upwardly about its pivoted side 25 to lie against one of the side walls S, and wall sections Ma and Mb of end walls E are folded inwardly about their common centrally disposed pivots or loops I5b, I6b and their outer pair of pivots or loops I5d, I6d, and I50, I6c respectively.

The container is easily convertible to its operative condition, illustrated in Fig. 1, by grasping and rotating handles 22 through an arc of degrees to move each pair of wall sections I411, I422 outwardly to the limiting coplanar position at which said wall sections form the end walls E, the arm 2| of each section Ida abutting against a portion of a respective section I4b to prevent further outward movement beyond this point. Bottom B is then swung downwardly into hori zontal position about its pivoted side 25, its opposite free side being supported by mounting rod 29a. The bottom B is retained firmly in horizontal position by the depending catches or extensions 3| until it is desired to collapse the container for storage, shipping or the like.

While it is apparent that weight and material are conserved by constructing the Walls of the container with peripheral wire frames braced by vertical and horizontal rods or struts, it may be desired for certain uses of the container to eliminate the intervening spaces between the bracing struts which characterize the preferred embodiment of the container illustrated in the drawings. This may be conveniently accomplished using any suitable mesh construction or material such as sheet metal fabric and the like mounted on the peripheral frames of the walls.

Since certain additional modifications may be made in the collapsible container of the invenby a rectangular wire frame, a pair of inwardly foldable end walls, each of said end Walls having a central vertical rod and an upper and lower rod integraltherewith to define a section-of said end wall, said upper and lower rods each having a terminal loops at their free ends engaged rotatably around an end of one of said rectangular wire frames, eachof said end walls having an additional pair of upper and lower rods to define a second section thereof, terminal loops at each end of said upper andlower rodsof said second section, one pair of said loops being rotatably engaged around said centralverticalrod of saidfirste mentioned section,'the other pair of said loops being ro-tatably engaged arounda respective end of the other of said rectangular wire frames, and a rigid bottom swingable upwardly from a horizontal operative position to a collapsed position in abutment against one of said side walls.

2. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1, 4

wherein one of said end-wall sections of each of said end walls is provided with a laterally projecting arm disposable in abutting relation against the other of said end-wall sections, whereby to limit the outward movement of said pair of endwall sections to a coplanar position defining. said end wall in the operative condition of the container. 1

3. A collapsible container comprising a, pair of side walls, each of said side walls being defined by a rectangular wire frame, a pair of inwardly foldable end walls, each of said end walls having a central, vertical rod and an upper and lower rod integral therewith to define a section of said end wall, said upper and lower rods each having terminal loops at theirfree ends engaged rotatably around an end of one of said rectangular wire frames, each of said end walls having an additional pair of upper and lower rods to define a second section thereof, terminal loops at each end of said upper and lower rods of said second section, one pair of said loops being rotatably engaged around said central vertical rod of said first-mentioned section, the other pair of said loops being rotatably engaged around a respective end of the other of said rectangular wire frames, a longitudinal mounting rod secured along each of said side walls and spaced above the bottom thereof, and a rigid bottom comprising a rectangular wire frameswingable upwardl from a horizontal operative position to a collapsed position in abutment against one of said side walls, one of the sides of said rectangularwire frame of said bottom being pivotally secured to one of said mounting rods, the opposite side of said bottom forming rectangular frame presenting a depending extension engageable over the opposite mounting rod, whereby to firmly retain said bottom in operative horizontal position.

4. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of said end-Wall sections of each of said end walls is provided with a laterally projecting arm disposable in abutting relation against the other of said end-wall sections, whereby to limit the outward movement of said pair of end wall sections to a coplanar position defining said end wall in the operative condition of the container. V

5. A collapsible container comprising a pair of side walls, each of said side walls being defined by a rectangular wire frame, a pair of inwardly foldable end walls, each of said end walls having a central, vertical rod and an upper and lower :rod integral therewith to define a section of said fine a, second section thereof, terminal loops at each end of said upper and lower rods of said second section, one pair of said loops being rotatably engaged around said central vertical rod P of said first-mentioned section, the other pair of said loops being rotatably engaged around a respective end of the other of said rectangular wire frames, a longitudinal mounting rod secured along each of said side walls and spaced above the bottom thereof, and a rigid bottom comprising a rectangular wire frame swingable upwardly from a horizontal operative position to a gollapsed position in abutment against one of said side walls, one of the sides of said rectangular wire frame of said bottom being pivotally secured to one of said mounting rods, the opposite side of said bottom forming rectangular frame presenting a depending extension engageable over the opposite mounting rod, whereby to firmly retain said bottom in operative horizontal position, one of said end wall sections of each of said end walls being provided with a rectangular extension forming a handle element, said extension including a laterally abutting portion disposable against the other of said end-wall sections, whereby to limit the outward movement of said pair of end-wall sections to a coplanar position defining said end wall in the operative condi tion of the container.

' GEORGE EIN HORN.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references'are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS (1st addition to No. 773,719) 

